Bill Would Revoke Binding Arbitration

Southington News Notes

State workers who provide non-essential services should be given the right to strike and lose the right of binding arbitration, state Rep. Angelo Fusco, R-Southington, said Thursday.

Fusco, now starting his sixth term, submitted a bill to eliminate binding arbitration for thousands of state workers now able to have disputed labor contracts settled through arbitration.

Critics say awards from arbitration panels don't take into account the state's ability to pay and sometimes result in excessive wage settlements.

Fusco's bill would leave that right intact for public safety employees such as state police, state fire marshal employees, correction officers, nurses in state hospitals and others in essential state services.

``Serious questions have been raised about binding arbitration and its consequences for taxpayers and we in the legislature have an obligation to examine those questions,'' he said.